Seed of Joy
by Mycelia
Summary: A performer's world tour ends neatly with a close friend's epiphany that left a diamond ring clattering on the table. Love is mutual, and friendships require communication.


There was something off putting about being alone with a seelie. It was probably just the fact that hardly any existed anymore; what had this one, alone in their solidarity, done to accomplish the feat of surviving? Diana guessed that the square-shouldered figure accompanied Akko Kagari out of practicality. A cloud of life-giving magic clung to the girl like a lost duckling. The two of them walked through the eerily quiet backstage together before coming to a closed dressing room door. The seelie's hand resounded on it three distinct times, and a voice markedly less melodious than fifteen minutes earlier answered:

"Come in."

"Miss Akko, there is a guest who would like to see you"

The answer came again without any pause. "Come in."

The seelie opened the door so little before stepping in that Diana had to push it open with her palm before being able enter to comfortably herself. The first thing to strike her was the dozens of scars haphazardly covering on the woman's skin between her collarbone and wrists; they all took different shapes and sizes, though the vast majority were nearing a decade old. The second thing she noticed was the woman's large red eyes which were widening with recognition. The third was how adorably disheveled her now-loose hair was as it splayed out in every direction across her shoulders. A moment of silence passed, and suddenly Diana's arms were clamped down by her sides in a surprisingly strong hug. Much like the schoolgirl she remembered, Akko was squealing with glee.

"Your show was as fantastic as ever."

"Merci. Mais je…*crpmh* Désolé…" Akko slapped her own forehead. "No. Not french." She gave her elder a bit of personal space again. "What brings you down here?"

"Official business. I had the evening off."

"And you came to see my show!"

"It beats scouring the catacombs for hours." came Diana's sarcastic reply. "Though I also have this." she produced a wax-sealed letter and waved it slightly, unsure who to hand it to before Akko took it, breaking Luna Nova's insignia with a pop. Akko's expressions swayed between worry and joy for a few seconds as she read it before handing the letter over to the seelie, who then left with unspoken instructions. Formal acceptance would fall to scheduling.

Diana took a deep breath. The two of them continued to catch up on the previous five years of their lives. In the space of only four sentences, Akko both disappeared and reappeared from behind a curtain having changed from formal scarlet stage clothes to several translucent layers of black and navy. Even having stayed in contact wirelessly, there were hundreds of stories to tell between a world-class performer and an enforcer of magical law. The tales they exchanged ranged from botched illusions to the breaking of cults. Never one for extended broom flights, Akko talked about the frustrations of air travel while Diana quietly resolved herself to never step foot on a plane. Eventually two of them enjoyed the evening strolling through the nearly empty parisian parks until the inevitable question had to be asked. A short-lived cramp passed through Diana's chest as she heard it.

"How are you and Andrew doing?"

Diana turned and looked out at the flowerbeds on her other side. "We're not together anymore." The blonde didn't see the other's off-balance expresion.

"You two got engaged. You said yes."

Diana cupped a rose in the palm of her hand. "I did."

Akko's head went to the other side, the weight of her thoughts causing her to lean slightly.

"And I realised… that I couldn't love him back." "I got myself confused and caught up in the moment." She glanced around for a park officer, fully knowing what she was doing was technically illegal. With an unseen blur of the hand, she plucked the rose and it's thornless stem. She handed the crimson flower to Akko, who tilted her head down to smell it. The brunette stayed quiet- which was probably the best thing to happen for Diana's psyche.

Akko took examining the flower as an excuse to get her thoughts in order. She wasn't so much of an idiot to not tell Diana needed someone for the moment. The only reason Akko herself didn't pursue relationships was the constant travel. In the past six months alone she had been in twenty six different places between Kyoto, St. Petersburg, and Paris. She saw the end of this tour coming near and was fully ready for it. Spending time with an old friend would make for an excellent break. A small smile played on Akko's face as she looked up into frosty blue eyes.

"Cavendish Manor has a few spare rooms, doesn't it?"

At that exact moment, Akko heard the faint squeal of a bicycle's brake rush past before Diana cleared her throat and checked her watch. It was an hour to midnight, and both of them had work to do in the morning. Their departing hug held for a little bit before the two separated again.

Uncaring of how her uniform would crinkle, her face impacted the two-high pile of hotel pillows with a fomph and she let her arms and legs splay out childishly before rolling over, embarrassing thoughts going through Diana's mind. Her forearms crossed over her face, and the darkening bruise on her calf had its own protestations for walking so much. There was a mix of joy and repulse in the pit of her stomach. She imagined them as oil and vinegar; seperate things that could become indistinguishable given violent shaking. Only this time she did not feel that internal burn so acutely as the past few years, and especially with that band of yellow metal wrapped around her finger. Her mental fatigue combined with the exertion of the day led her to sleep without having changed.


End file.
